The NYChillharmonic is a female-fronted, Brooklyn-based, 18 piece, progressive-rock orchestra. It was founded by singer/composer/French horn player Sara McDonald.
The ensemble’s music fuses multiple genres including rock, pop and jazz, which ultimately creates an ensemble sound that acknowledges the tradition of jazz as much as it sonically embraces experimental textures, arrangements and harmonies. The group has performed at world-renowned festivals such as the Montreal Jazz Festival, Buenos Aires International Jazz Festival, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Keio University Jazz Fest (Tokyo), Mazzstock Music Festival and the East Village Music Festival.
The music of The NYChillharmonic has been performed across five continents in 10 countries with over 400 musicians. The band frequently tours internationally as a rhythm section and contracts local horn and string players from the cities in which they are performing to fill out the ensemble chairs.
NYChillharmonic compositions have twice been awarded ASCAP’s coveted Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award and once awarded the ASCAP Phoebe Jacobs Prize. The group was also included in Brooklyn magazine’s annual “30 under 30” list, highlighting successful musicians, artists and entrepreneurs in New York.
